Catholic Activists Ask McCain to Boot Faith Adviser

By Michelle Boorstein
Tensions are heating up among politically-minded Catholic activists after a group of left-leaning Catholics today publicly asked Sen. John McCain to boot a faith adviser who resigned from the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004 because of allegations he sexually harassed a college student.

"Deal Hudson is not the type of Catholic leader you want publicly associated with your campaign," read the letter from Catholics United to McCain.

The allegations against Deal Hudson are not new and their reappearance reflects the nasty back-and-forth among Catholic activists as the election draws closer. Hudson, a member of the Catholics for McCain National Steering Committee, resigned as publisher of the conservative Catholic magazine Crisis after the allegations first surfaced in 2004 in the pages of the National Catholic Reporter.

The allegations centered on an 18-year-old student who said Hudson got her drunk and had sex with her when she was his student at Fordham University in 1994. Hudson resigned from the faculty that year and today again expressed "guilt and regret."

In its statement today, Catholics United also criticized Hudson for brokering a meeting between conservative Catholics and San Antonio megapreacher John Hagee. Many Catholics were upset by Hagee's anti-Catholic comments and writings. It also noted Hudson's criticism of the Vatican's position on climate change.

The letter came after a series of pieces Hudson wrote on his blog, insidecatholic.com, criticizing Sen. Barack Obama's positions on abortion, calling him "on the extreme wing of the abortion movement."

Catholics, who made up some 27 percent of U.S. voters in the 2004 presidential election, are often viewed as key swing voters because they have gone by majorities for Republicans and Democrats in recent elections. Hudson said he believes the key deciding issues for Catholics this year will be abortion, traditional marriage and whether American law is guided by religion.

Hudson is one of more than 80 members of McCain's Catholic national steering committee. Calls to the McCain campaign were not immediately returned.

Why does this news paper label Catholics United left winged activits? Activists yes, for the true Catholic belief not the few ultra conservatives who can't see the truth of the church's teachings. Catholic Social teachings go far beyond the abortion issue, which by the way, seems to only come up every four years at election time.

I have no idea how this disgusting entry got listed as my own post. I had actually added some commentary about how revolting the discourse was becoming on the site of a newspaper I love. Somehow that didn't get through. People -- can we try for some civility???

The abortionist stabs the scissors into the base of the baby's skull. The scissors are spread to enlarge the opening. The suction catheter is then inserted and the brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The head slides out easily.

And gee, if the baby lives through this the odctor can let the child die.

____________________

Damn, you forgot the salt and tabasco! BAD RELIGIONIST! Can't you even get your recipes straight?

Deal Hudson & Co. at InsideCatholic.com are habitual Senator Obama smear-mongers. On a daily basis, they demonize Obama for his pro-choice stance and everything else they can think of. At least where Senator Obama is concerned, InsideCatholic.com competes aggressively with the worst kind of wingnut hate sites. You would think that since Hudson lives in a glass house, he would know better than to throw stones. He is so rabidly partisan, he can't help himself.

I'm Catholic and I know this from personal experience and because any dope can read the polls--most Catholics are PRO-CHOICE. Period. No if's, no but's. That's a simple fact. We are the majority. Conservative Catholics who hate gays and who oppose abortion are the minority. So get over it. You dont' represent us.

Anyone look into whether the student victimized by Deal in 1994 was the ONLY victim? So...this 40-something just happened to be lured into sin by the wiles of some fetching 18 year old? This was a one-time isolated incident?

That's quite a fantasy - far more likely that there was a pattern of abuse. Did Fordham know about the problem with its professor? remember, this happened BEFORE the revelations about other, similar abuses/suppression of problems in catholic institutions.

The Democrat Party wages war on the United States with their platform. Instead of working as servants for the public they want to kill the public an/or sodomize the public. Either way, implementing the Democrat party platform results in less citizens. Their candidate, BO, is a very big proponent of the Denocrat platform.

I am a Catholic and what the Catholics need to worry about is Obama's so called religious advisers. Especially that Catholic priest, Pleger, who should be defrocked. He played court jester and clown for Obama and that bad Rev. Wright. Wright says he can badmouth America and Americans because he was a Marine. I don't see it that way.

I am a recovering Catholic. I was born and raised in a strict conservative Catholic family in the Midwest, but luckily came to my senses as a young adult. Sadly, the Catholic Church is now so out of touch and so irrelevant to the needs of the modern world that I no longer consider the Church even marginally interesting, even as an adversary. Life is so much better without the Catholic Church to muck up a beautifully spiritual world.

They seem to be completely unaware that the country handed Hillary Clinton her pink slip as we've all had enough of these kinds of tactics.

I positively loved Bill Donohue's press release on this.

"Ted Kennedy belongs to Barack Obama's Catholic National Advisory Council. Should he be criticized? Certainly: I did just that when I cited his 100 percent NARAL record. What I didn't do was cite his past sexual indiscretions, one of which left a young woman dead."

The constitution makes it clear religion is a private matter. Why we have to continue to listen to these religious fruitcakes when we have serious public policy issues to discuss is mystifying. Are Obama and McCain running for President or to be the Pastor in Chief?

It was conservatives (who happen to be Catholic) like Peggy Noonan who had Hudson bounced from Crisis magazine. And it was good work too, Hudson had several other allegations. Unlike the Left, conservatives act quickly to deal with the likes of Hudson, eg. Larry Craig. The Left usually re-elects sexual miscreants to Congress eg. Frank and Studds. McCain ought to dump Hudson, but since McCain isn't a conservative he may tolerate him.

Seriously. I mean, in the Gospel story of how Jesus defended the sexually unorthodox Mary Magdalene from a murderous mob by pointing out that they were sinners as well, well, who do y'all identify with there? It seems an awful lot of politically oriented "Christians" act like the mob here towards their victims of choice. Seriously, how do y'all square this with your politcal actions? Isn't Jesus here talking directly to your type? Where does Jesus encourage anyone to impose their morality on anyone else? It seems like we have some smug, small-minded, prideful, finger pointing "Christians" on the board, so, hey, who wants to take this one?

So, let me get this straight, adherents of a faith founded by a historical Jesus who spent almost all of his time, according to our limited records, inveighing against hypocisy, excessive materialism and cruelty to the less fortunate are somehow using their belief in Him to justify supporting a man who believes in starving the poor, denying them healthcare, destroying Creation in the name of short-sighted profit, demonizing those whose choices he disagrees with (despite considerable evidence that his morality is pretty lackluster as well), waging unnecessary wars, and granting tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent, etc? Are you people serious? Is there a book of the Gospels I am missing? The one where he encourages hatred, greed and punishing the less fortunate?

I hope your savior returns soon, because he's going to kick your asses for getting his message so wrong.

The majority of pro-life Catholics I know in Southern Indiana are going to Obama and the Democratic Party this time around. Abortion is important to them but so are those outside the womb. Climate change, alternative energy, education, standing up to corporations, and a measured foreign policy are carrying the day this time around.

Intellectual dishonesty abounds! Catholics United opposes Hudson because he's conservative, not because of a trangression 14 years ago.

Also, for those who have posted comments informing the world what Jesus would have done, I strongly suggest you cease disguising your own will as that of the King of Kings. Strive to live a virtuous life in humility according to what the Church teaches. Pride only produces self-worship.

American law cannot be guided by religion. What religion would we use to guide our laws? Catholic? What about all Muslim-Americans? Jewish-Americans? How about the Americans that don't believe in any notion of God. You're going to make them abide by the rules of your religion? That doesn't sound like a free country to me. The constitution clearly separates religion from the state. And for good reason.

Anyone who thinks Catholics only care about "conservative" issues isn't paying attention. Helping the poor? Taking care of the sick and elderly? Stewardship of the earth? These are all issues that I think the Dems are more identified with. While you pull out abortion as this huge issue for Obama to deal with, how about you look equally as cirtically at the "just war" theory and the Pope's condemnation of the invasion of Iraq? The death penalty?

So-called "Catholic issues" go across the political spectrum. Personally, I find myself more drawn to the Democratic position because on balance it fulfills more of Jesus' and the Church's teachings.

By the way, if abortion is your number one issue, you should care about how to actually reduce the number of abortions rather than just the legality angle. If people have adequate schooling, good jobs, places to live, and health care they are MUCH more likely to keep a child and not have an abortion. Or at the very least w/ adequate health care and support may be more likely to carry to term and give a child up for adoption. It is a more complicated issue than just one law or one Supreme Court case.

JakeD....
Is it really OK to have a pastor on your prayer team that likes underaged girls/boys? I guess in your world it is OK. I can guarantee that if Obama had this person or anyone like them involved in his campaign it would raise the roof McCain always seems to get a pass I wonder why

Matthew 10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Can you Catholics really handle the Truth? or do you just want the lily white, dumbed down, McCain version?

That Republicans could wage war against a country that never attacked us, and kill 100,000 Iraqis - in the name of our Lord no less - is indicative of an unclean national spirit.

The sickness and disease that is Republicans in DC will be cast out.

Your heart does not bleed for our Iraqi brothers as it does for your Irish brothers. And that is the sin of your fathers. They failed the character test in the 60s and 70s, and passed the sin onto you.

Matthew 21:12 "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves"

Jesus would overthrow all of the Irish in Boston and the Italians in New York who have used the state capitols to buy and sell influence, who have used their positions of power to help only 'their' race to the exclusion of others.

Boston was supposed to be a city on a hill, a shining beacon of light for all. But it has been perverted by the Bulgers, the Winter Hill Gang, and everyone who didn't have the courage or the decency to stand against corruption.

Jesus would have kicked lily white catholic a$$. Hearts are supposed to bleed for your fellow man, all of them, regardless of race, creed or color. Jesus would have been a bleeding heart liberal. And he would not have only helped his tribe.

Matthew 21:12 "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves"

Jesus would overthrow all of the Irish in Boston and the Italians in New York who have used the state capitols to buy and sell influence, who have used their positions of power to help only 'their' race to the exclusion of others.

Boston was supposed to be a city on a hill, a shining beacon of light for all. But it has been perverted by the Bulgers, the Winter Hill Gang, and everyone who didn't have the courage or the decency to stand against corruption.

Jesus would have kicked lily white catholic a$$. Hearts are supposed to bleed for your fellow man, all of them, regardless of race, creed or color. Jesus would have been a bleeding heart liberal. And he would not have only helped his tribe.

Irish and Italian Catholics have historically been racist. I wouldn't expect you people to have either the intelligence or the morality to vote for the better candidate in '08.

BC kids are DUMB tools. Always have been.

And for all the bs talk about Chicago politics, Boston has been filthy Irish mob and New York has been filthy Italian mob. The politics and the people have always been as sanctimonious and stupid as McCain.

Catholics United? Never heard of them. 20,000 members? Seems pretty small compared to the 10s of millions of Catholics in America and they do not represent me. Granted, a man who has been accused of sexual misconduct also does not represent me.

Catholics care about socially conservative issues. Abortion is murder, same-sex marriage is a sin, birth control use is sinful, etc. Unlike "evangelicals" Catholics generally arent single issue voters. Poverty, immigration, human dignity are also important issues. It's just where the particular faithful decide to place their vote.

These claims that the Catholic vote is going to Obama is unfounded and irresponsible. I am a church-going Catholic and I plan to vote for McCain in '08.

Also, Ossiolt should try clicking the link to CNN.com. Obama can do no wrong there, I promise.

I am an Obama supporter and believe that this rapist, Hudson fairly represents McCain's moral compass so why should he be a hypocrite and discard him.

I would like to quote the conservative catholic anti-abortion jurist an assistant Attorney General in Reagan and Bush 1 administrations about Obama and the abortion issue.

"I endorse Barack Obama for president of the United States. I believe him to be a person of integrity, intelligence, and genuine good will... As a Republican and as a Catholic, I believe life begins at conception, and it is important for every life to be given sustenance and encouragement. As a Republican, I strongly believe that the Supreme Court of the United States must be fully dedicated to the rule of law and to the employ of a consistent method of interpretation that keeps the court within its limited judicial role...Sen. Barack Obama and I may disagree on aspects of these important fundamentals, but I am convinced, based upon his public pronouncements and his personal writing, that on each of these questions he is not closed to understanding opposing points of view and, as best as it is humanly possible, he will respect and accommodate them... As Americans, we must voice our concerns for the well-being of our nation without partisanship when decisions that have been made endanger the body politic."

Kmiec feels on the abortion issue as with other issues he is understanding of opposing points of view and as best as is possible will accommodate and respect them.

That is hardly the extreme wing of the abortion movement. So Hudson disseminates inaccurate information as well as being a rapist. McCain would hardly have anyone if he tightened up on his standards for inclusion in his campaign.

I am so sick of the news media not reporting anything negative about John McCain!! If this was something related to Barack Obama it would be shown, discussed and repeated every hour over and over again. What is going on? These cable stations are interfering in this election with their bias nonense. I wish Tim Russert was still here to put everything in prospective. His co-workers sure as heck did not learn anything from him. So very sad that our country is in the hands of these dishonest, unethical reporters. At least Dan Abrams on MSNBC questions what McCain says and also asks why no one else does.

I don't believe that McCain should get rid of Mr. Hudson -- no one is perfect except for Christ Himself -- and someone here on Earth has to keep pointing out the truth that Obama's positions on abortion put him on the extreme wing of the abortion movement. Chances are 100 times better that Roe v. Wade gets overturned if McCain gets elected.